Corn bag toss game

ABSTRACT

The invention for which we are seeking a patent is an outdoor/indoor recreational game of excitement and skill suitable for participants of all ages ranging from children to adults and provides excellent entertainment and recreation for backyards, driveways, on the beach, or anywhere. The name of this game is “Corn Bag Toss Game” and consists of three main playing components; two sloped game boards, eight corn filled bags and two to four players. With two competitors, players compete against each other and walk from one end to the other each round throwing from each end. With four competitors, players form two teams of two at each end and compete against each other. The game is played by throwing corn filled canvas bags at sloped game boards with hopes of getting bags to land on the boards for one point each or getting bags to go through the hole in the game boards for three points each. Only the highest scoring player in each round receives points for their team and play continues until one team reaches 15, 21, or 30 points (as decided on before play) and are declared the winners.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

“Corn Bag Toss Game” is an outdoor/indoor consumer game for recreational entertainment and sport.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

“Corn Bag Toss Game” is a game involving two or four players divided into two even teams who compete for points, with twenty-one, fifteen, or thirty points winning the game. The game is played by tossing cloth bags filled with corn at sloped boards that have a hole near the top of the slope. Points are awarded for each bag landing on the boards and a greater amount of points awarded for bags thrown through the hole. The layout of the playing court consists of two sloped playing boards placed twenty-seven feet(nine yards) other. Each member of a team of two stands on opposite sides of the playing court and alongside one of the game boards. Each player competes for points against the opponent standing on their side of the playing court and alternates throwing bags with the opponent at the opposite board until each player has thrown four bags. Scoring is totaled by the players at that end of the court who then collect the bags and alternate throwing towards the other board in the same manner as their partners. Scoring and rules of play vary upon the style which the players have chosen to play and is fully explained in the rules of play under the section titled “Detailed Description of the Invention.”

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 Aerial view of “Corn Bag Toss Game” playing court with dimensions (suitable drawing to be used for front page of patent publication to illustrate invention)

FIG. 2 Side view of “Corn Bag Toss Game” playing court with dimensions

FIG. 3 View of Cut Fabric for Corn Toss Bags with dimensions

FIG. 4 View of Corn Toss Bags after fold and initial stitching

FIG. 5 View of Corn Toss Bags after filling with corn and final stitching completed on remaining open side of bag

FIG. 6 Overhead view of game board sub-frame with dimensions

FIG. 7 Initial cut dimensions of board leg pieces

FIG. 8 View and dimensions for chamfering of tops of board legs

FIG. 9 View and dimensions for hole to be drilled through top of board legs

FIG. 10 View of assembled board leg assembly with leg brace attached

FIG. 11 Side view of game board sub-frame showing dimensions for hole to be drilled for attachment of leg assembly

FIG. 12 Side view of game board sub-frame with leg assembly attached

FIG. 13 Overhead view of game board top with cutting dimensions and suggested drilling points for attachment to sub-frame with wood screws

FIG. 14 Overhead view of game board top with hole cut out and dimensions to hole's center

FIG. 15 Side view with dimensions of finished collapsible leg game board

FIG. 16 Rear view of finished collapsible leg game board

FIG. 17 View of game board turned up on edge for attachment of optional handles and window clasps to make boards become easily transportable carrying case

FIG. 18 View from underneath one game board showing attachment of measuring string reel and corresponding eyehook attachment position for opposite game board

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Description of the Game: The “Corn Bag Toss Game” is a outdoor/indoor recreational game suitable to play anywhere with an unobstructed, flat rectangular area of at least thirty-seven feet by six feet. For indoor play the length of the playing court can be shortened to as little as fifteen feet. The playing court is created by attaching the guide string located under the front of one board to the hook on the front of the other board, and then pulling the two boards away from each other until the string is taught which creates an exact distance of twenty-seven feet (nine yards) (see FIG. 1 and FIG. 2). The playing court must be a fairly level and flat area also including at least two feet of space on either side of the board on both ends of the court. There must also be no overhead obstructions such as tree limbs that could hinder the throwing of the bags through the air. The game consists of two sloped board sets that are a two feet by four feet rectangular dimension. The boards' slope is created by the front of the board top sitting two inches off the ground and the back of the board sitting twelve and three-quarters inches off the ground. A six inch diameter hole is cut through the rear portion of the board face with its center being one foot from either side and nine inches from the rear of the board. Eight corn filled canvas cloth bags of an equal weight of one pound and equal dimension of seven inches by seven inches prior to stitching and filling. The bags must be of two different colors, four bags of each color to differentiate between the two teams for scoring.

Methods of Scoring and Play—

1. The Cincinnati Style—Play begins by choosing partners, four players, two for each team One player from each team takes position along one side (left or right) of a playing board diagonally across playing court from their partner who is positioned alongside the playing board at that end of the playing court (see FIG. 1). Each player throws four bags per round, alternating each throw with their opponent. Each team uses bags of different color for ease of scoring. Each player throws from their respective side of their board and cannot step their foot past the front of the board, if this occurs this results in a foot fault. A foot fault results in the loss of one point from that teams score. Players may throw the bags using an underhand lofted toss toward the opposite board or may throw the bags in an overhand basketball shooting style at their own choice. The object is to get their bags to land on the board with each bag on the board representing one point, and each bag through the hole representing three points. A bag through the hole is known as a “Cornhole”; In each round each player is competing against the opponent at the same end of the playing court as them. Scoring is done at the end of that round; points are awarded to the higher scoring team only, the next round starts with the players at the opposite end competing against each other in the same fashion as the previous round was played. Points cancel each other out, therefore only the player who scores the most points will receive points for their team. The points of the lesser scoring opponent are subtracted from the higher score and this difference is the amount awarded to that team (i.e. if team one has three bags on the board, and team two has one bag on the board, then team one will receive two points for the round. If team one has two bags on the board and team two has one bag in the hole, a “Cornhole”, then team two receives one point for the round). To count as a point or point's bags must land directly on the board surface, or go directly through the hole, bags bouncing or rolling onto the board after first hitting the ground do not count as points and can be pulled off after thrown as to not interfere with the rest of that rounds play. The team that scores in each round throws first in the next round. When no points are awarded in a round due to both teams having equal points on the board this is known as a “Wash” and the next round is started by the team who scored the last point no matter how many previous rounds ago it occurred. Rounds continue until one team reaches twenty-one points, and is declared the winner. Games may also be played to 15 points for a shorter match or to 30 points for a longer match. In every round all eight bags must be thrown, even when one team reaches twenty-one points (or 15 or 30 depending on decided winning total). The round must still be finished offering the opponent an opportunity to match or surpass the points of the team who has reached twenty-one. In the event that one team scores eleven points before the opposing team scores a single point, this is known as a “Skunk” and the game ends with the team who scored eleven as the victors.

2. West Side Style—This method of play consists of the exact rules and scoring as the “Cincinnati Style” with one main exception that adds to the challenge of the game. In “West Side Style” of play, a team must reach twenty-one points exactly to achieve victory. If a team goes over twenty-one points their score is reduced to thirteen points and play continues until one team scores twenty-one points exactly.

b 3. East Side Style—This method of play is exactly like “West Side Style” with one scoring exception. When a team goes over twenty-one points they do not automatically go back to thirteen points. Instead the points they score in that round are subtracted from the total score they held before that round started (i.e. team one has 19 points at the beginning of a round and they throw a “Cornhole” worth three points, putting them at twenty-two points, one too many. If team two makes no points in the round then team one will have three points deducted from their score giving them a new total of sixteen points). Again play continues until one team does reach twenty-one points exactly.

4. Old School Style—This method consists of the same rules and play as the “Cincinnati Style” but scoring is done differently. Bags on the board still represent one point, and bags through the hole, “Cornholes”, still represent three points. However when final scoring is done for each round, points do not cancel each other out as in “Cincinnati Style,” only “Cornholes” cancel. Instead, the team who has bags closest to the hole or through the hole count for that team (i.e. if team one has one bag in the hole, and team two has two on the board, team one will receive three points for the round and team two will receive zero points). If team one and team two both get a “Cornhole” those bags cancel each other, and from the remaining bags on the board it must be determined which team is closer to the hole, and they will receive one point for each bag that is closer to the hole than the closest bag of the opponent. As in “Cincinnati Style” the first team to reach twenty-one points is the winner.

5. Beach Style—This method also consists of the same methods of play and the exact same methods of scoring as the “Cincinnati Style”. Games are still played to 15, 21, or 30 points depending on the length of game decided on before play starts by the players. However the difference when playing this method is that in order to win the game a team must obtain points of or over the winning point mark and most importantly have at least two points more than their opponents. Thus to become victorious a team must win by two points and have reached or surpassed the winning point total of 15, 21, or 30 points.

Building and Assembly Instructions for Game Components—

Corn Toss Bags—The Corn Toss bags are made from duckcloth, a heavy canvas like fabric found in any fabric store. For each Corn Toss Game two sets of four bags of two different colors are needed. A half yard of fabric of two colors is needed. Cut the duckcloth into a rectangle seven inches wide by fourteen inches long (see FIG. 3). Fold the rectangle in half in the long-ways direction to create a square seven inches by seven inches and double stitch two sides of the square together using a heavy gauge thread matching the material in color. Leave one of the two sides bordering the fold end unstitched. Sew roughly 0.25 inch from the fringe of the material. On the third and only remaining unstitched side stitch 1.5 inches of the side starting from the bordering, fully stitched side and leaving the open portion to border the fold end of the bag (see FIG. 4). Turn bags inside out so that stitching is now all on the inside of the bags. With stitched edges on inside of bags the dimensions will now be roughly 6.5 inches×6.75 inches. Through the unstitched portion of the bag, fill the bags with dried kernel corn. Dried kernel corn can be found at any farm supply or feed mill. Fill bag until the total weight of bag and corn reaches exactly one pound (16 ounces). Double stitch the remaining seam of the bag closed, this will be the only stitching visible on the outside of the bags (see FIG. 5). Repeat these steps to produce the remaining seven bags making sure the measurements and the weight of one pound are exact so consistency is maintained.

Corn Toss Board Sets—Standard, Collapsible Leg Boards: These boards vary in material (listed throughout the build steps where applicable) but all consist of three main components, the top, the sub-frame and the leg assembly. The finished product is shown by FIG. 14, 15 and 16 in the Drawings section. First build the sub-frame which consists of 2.0 in.×2.0 in. wood pieces. Cut two pieces to 4.0 feet long and two pieces cut to 21.25 inches long. Lay the two longer pieces on a flat surface parallel to each other and place the shorter two between the long two at each end to create a rectangle measuring exactly 2.0 feet wide by 4.0 feet long to the outside edges of the wood (see FIG. 6). Attach the pieces to each other using 1.5 inch wood screws or nails. Pre-drill all holes to prevent splitting of wood. Make an identical sub-frame for the other game board.

Cut and assemble the legs for the board. Cut two pieces of 2.0 in.×2.0 in. wood to 10.375 inches long(see FIG. 7). Chamfer the tops of the legs to allow them to fold up into the sub-frame when installed without hitting the top or back portion of the sub-frame. To chamfer the legs measure down from the top of one edge 0.625 inch and across the top 0.375 inch from the same corner, draw a line between the two points and cut the corner off. Do the same on the opposite edge of the top of the leg (see FIG. 8). Repeat chamfering on top of second leg. Next measure from the bottom of each leg 11.125 inch, and from the sides 0.75 inch and drill a 0.25 inch diameter hole through each of the legs (see FIG. 9). Cut the brace piece for the legs by cutting a 21.25 inch piece of 2.0 in.×2.0 in. wood. Lay the two legs parallel on a flat surface and place the newly cut brace piece below the bottom of the two legs and attach the legs to the top of the brace on each end with wood screws or nails (see FIG. 10). Make two complete leg assemblies as described above, one for each game board.

Measure the sub-frames for the holes to be drilled to attach the legs. From the end of the frame to become the rear/back of the board measure along the side 2.0 inches from the back edge and 0.75 inch from the top or bottom of the side rail to find the center for the hole and drill a 0.25 inch diameter hole (see FIG. 11). Repeat this step on the other side, at the same end of the sub-frame and on the other board's sub-frame as well. Align the hole through one side of the sub-frame with the hole drilled through one side of the leg assembly and insert a 3.5 inch long×0.25 inch diameter bolt from the outside of the frame through the leg towards the inside of the framing (see FIG. 12). Thread one nut onto the bolt to a point that holds the leg slightly in place then thread on a second nut and tighten the two nuts against each other so that they will not come off. Make sure the legs are snug but not too tight so the leg assembly folds up with ease. Do the same to attach the other side of the leg assembly and to attach the second leg assembly to the second sub-frame. At this point the sub-frame is complete and the leg assembly should be easily folded up into the frame to allow for the game boards to be stored and transported flat. At this point the sub-frame should also be painted with a high gloss exterior paint or sealed with a clear wood sealer depending on the desired painted color or natural wood look for these particular boards.

The final process is to cut and attach the top material to the game board sub-frames. The top material can be made of 0.375 inch or 0.5 inch thick plywood, or 0.375 inch thick Acrylic Plexi-Glass. A 0.375 inch thick liquid poured plastic composite could also be used as a material in place of the wood to create the sub-framing and the top. The Acrylic Plexi-Glass can be a solid color (usually white), smoked or clear with a painted or sandblasted back to add color and prevent seeing through the board top so that the game hole will clearly stand out to the players. Plywood tops can be painted any desired color, most commonly white, with a high gloss exterior paint or sealed with a clear gloss polyurethane for a natural wood look and provide the same smooth finish as the Acrylic and plastic composite create. The board tops must be of a smooth and slick gloss finish in order for the bags to slide and create consistent game play. The tops must be cut to perfect 2.0 foot wide×4.0 foot rectangles and then positioned on the top of the sub-frames to be attached. Pre-drill three holes evenly spaced down each side of the long edges and two along each of the short edges approximately 0.75 inch from the edge through the top material and into the sub-frame. Pre-drill with a drill bit slightly smaller in diameter than the wood screws being used to attach the top and then counter-sink the holes in the top using a counter-sink the exact diameter as the screw heads. Attach the top with the wood screws and sink the screw heads below the surface so that they will not interfere with the bags sliding on the boards during play (see FIG. 13). From the end of the board that has the leg assembly (the back/rear) measure down from the top edge 9.0 inches and from either side edge 12.0 inches to find the center of the hole to be cut. From this center use a compass to draw a circle 6.0 inches in diameter on the board top. Use a large drill bit and drill through the top on the inside of the circle that has just been drawn to create a pilot hole. Using a router or jig saw start in the pilot hole, cut along the circle to cut the hole in the top (see FIG. 14). Complete all above steps for second game board top.

The game boards are now complete, with the legs pulled down into game play position the rear of the board top should sit 12.75 inches off the ground and the front should sit 1.75 inches off the ground creating the perfect slope (see FIG. 15 and FIG. 16).

Finally a self winding plastic reel with a 27.0 foot line of string is attached under the front of one of the game boards. A small metal eye hook is screwed into the front of the other game board. When setting up the playing court the hook on the end of the string in the reel is hooked to the eyehook on the opposing board, the boards are stretched apart until the string is fully stretched. This ensures that the boards are exactly 27.0 feet apart and ready for play. Once the boards are positioned the string is unhooked from the eyehook of the second board and the reel automatically winds in the line (see FIG. 18)

Optionally, handles can be attached to the outside sub-frame rails of one long side of each game board, and window clasps can be attached to the sub-frame rails on both short ends of the boards to allow the boards, with the legs folded in, to be attached to each other and carried much like a suitcase (see FIG. 17). This has no effect on the playability of the boards and is of no necessity, but do make the boards much more easily transported. 

1. We claim our invention to be the outdoor/indoor recreational game entitled “Corn Bag Toss Game.”
 2. We claim this invention as the entire methodology of the game; including the playing court layout and dimensions, the rules of the game/methods of scoring, and the dimensions and weights of the game boards and game bags; all described and dimensioned in detail within this application.
 3. We claim that this invention revolves around the five rules/methods of scoring listed and described in this application as “Cincinnati Style,” “West Side Style,” “East Side Style,” “Old School Style,” and “Beach Style”.
 4. We claim this patent to protect the integrity of the “Corn Bag Toss Game” and to not allow any variations or approximations to the methods of play, scoring or game board/bag dimensions to be built and/or distributed by anyone other than ourselves. 